Handle for containers



p 1961 w. c. JENNINGS ET AL 3,000,527

HANDLE FOR CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 Filed Oct. 11, 1957 Sept. 19, 1961 w. c. JENNINGS ET AL 3,000,527

' HANDLE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll lif INVENTORS WLBB C. JEN/wives, [6H /RA 7. SWARTWoQD, MD

P000 SAMPSON A r'roklvsys United States Patent 3,000,527 HANDLE FOR CONTAINERS Webb C. Jennings, Rocky River, Ira T. Swartwood, Lakewood, and Rudolph A. Sampson, Cleveland, Ohio, as-

signors to Sun Industries, Inc., Rocky River, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 11, 1957, Ser. No. 689,664 Claims. (Cl. 215 100) This invention relates to handles for containers, such as glass containers for dispensing milk in gallon or halfgallon sizes.

Heretofore, containers which have been used for holding milk in quantities exceeding a quart have usually embodied glass receptacles which are open at the top, together with a neck portion and a rim portion which extends around the top of the neck portion and are arranged to receive a cap. To facilitate handling of the filled containers a metallic band has encircled the neck in close-fitting engagement therewith and a wire bail having a wooden sleeve for a handle thereon has been carried by the band and hinged thereto.

One of the steps in dispensing milk in glass containers has been the necessity for washing the containers in large quantities rapidly. Machines have been developed for this purpose and usually the machines are provided with pockets for receiving the receptacles in which the bottles are held during the washing operation. The use of metal for bands and handle bails has been satisfactory, insofar as concerns the introduction of the containers into the pockets of the washing machine, but it has been objectionable from the viewpoint of cost and of necessity for replacement resulting from rust. To remove the band and handle requires considerable time, While the possibility of rust or other damage occurring to the parts necessitates constant inspection of the handle structure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a handle for containers which eliminates the necessity for the use of metal in any part thereof, which can be quickly and easily applied to a container, and when so applied will not interfere with the introduction of it into the pocket of a washing machine.

An additional object is to construct a handle which will cost materially less than the present handle and which can be applied readily to existing containers and easily replaced if necessary.

R Briefly, we carry out the foregoing objects by utilizing aband of elastomeric material which carries a finger portion also of elastomeric material. Preferably, the band and finger portion comprise a single unitary structure, wherein-the band when subjected to an elevated temperature becomes sufficiently pliable as to be readily stretched over the rim of the container, and when cooled closely embraces the neck of the container in self-retaining position thereon. NormallyJhe finger-grip portion extends laterally from the bandin order to enable the cap to be readily applied to the container, but can be swung upwardly to an upright position when grasped for the purpose of lifting the container. Upon release, the finger-grip portion returns to the normal horizontal position.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a container handle embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the handle with a portion thereof broken away, the view being taken on a plane indicated by the line 22 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on a plane indicated by the line 33 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on a plane indicated by the line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

fitting engagement with the neck of the container.

Patented Sept. 19, 1961 ICC FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of handle construction;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on a plane indicated by the line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on a plane indicated by the line 7-7 in FIG. 5.

In the drawings, 10 indicates a band of elastomeric material which in the preferred form embodies polyethylene. Such material is available upon the market and is Formula 610M and is sold by the Dow Chemical Company. Another source of the material is known as Tenite No. 853 and is sold by the Tennessee Eastman Company.

In the preferred form, the band 10 is a ring which is tapered in cross-section, with the widest part of the taper being disposed at the top, as indicated at 11 in FIG. 3.

In the form illustrated in FIG. 1 a finger-grip portion, also of elastomeric material as aforesaid, is attached to the band by arms 15 and 16, which extend laterally from the outer wall of the band but in off-center position with respect thereto. The-finger grip-portion embodies a bail having arms 20 and 21, together with the connnecting portion 22, which, together-with the band, comprise a single unitary structure of elastomeric material.

Normally, the finger-grip portion extends laterally and substantially horizontally, as is shown in FIG. 2, so as to lie below the rim or flange 25 of the container with which the handle is to be used, thus providing clearance for the application of a cap to the container. The container is shown in broken lines as having a neck portion 30 beneath the rim 25. The rim provides a shoulder against which the top of the band may engage during the lifting operation.

To enable the handle to lie in downward position, as shown in FIG. 2, in full lines, and at the same time to permit it to be raised to the broken line position, as shown at 35, the arms 15 and =16 are sufficiently long to enable the inner wall of the arms 20 and 21 to clear the flange 25 on the container even though the band has a snug-fitting engagement with the neck of the container beneath the flange.

To facilitate carrying of the container, the arms 15 and 16 are offset from the center of the band, whereby the handle when raised can be disposed substantially on the center line of the container. I

The drawings illustrate the band as being is close- Accordingly, to enable the band to be applied over the flange 25, the band is heated until it becomes sufficiently pliable so that it may be stretched over the flange and thereafter when cooled will closely embrace the neck of the container. This can be accomplished with the aforesaid material by immersing the handle in water at a temperature ofapproximately F. for about thirty seconds. treatment renders the material sufiiciently pliable that the band can be stretched easily over the flange.

When cooled, the band will embrace the neck of the container sufficiently to retain the handle in self-sustaining position thereon. It has been found, when the inside diameter of the band, at room temperature, is equal approximately to the outside diameter of the neck of the container, that the band will remain in position, notwithstanding the fact that, during the washing of the com tainer, the temperature of the washing solution is approximately F.

A handle embodying our invention can be applied to existing containers without any change in the construction thereof and can be handled in existing washers without necessitating any modification of the washing machine. The elastomeric material, and the manner of construction of the handle as above set forth, is such that whenever the finger-grip portion is released it returns automatically 3 to the horizontal position, as shown in full lines in FIG. 2.

A modification of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 inclusive, wherein the band 10A has the same formation and structure as the band 10, but the finger-grip portion embodies a pair of bails which, extend laterally from the band and in opposite directions with respect thereto. One such bail has arms A and 21A and a connecting portion 22A, while the other bail has arms 20B and 21B with a connecting portion 22B. The arms of the respective bails are connected to arms 15A and 16A which are positioned at diametrically opposite points and extend outwardly from the band. In this modification the band, and finger-grip portions are preferably made of polyethylene as a single unitary structure.

In the form of FIGS. 5 to 7 inclusive, the normal position of each bail is substantially horizontal but each is adapted to be bent upwardly for carrying purposes, as shown by the broken lines A and 36A in FIG. 7. Upon release, the bails will return to the lower position by virtue of the inherent characteristics of the polyethylene.

A handle made in accordance with the present invention efiects a wedging action between the band and the bottle during the lifting operation, and thereby operates to assure a firm gripping action between the band and bottle. The handle embodying the present invention may be readily cast in a mold and therefore may be made at a greatly reduced cost as compared to handles having a metallic and wooden assembly as presently employed. Moreover the handle is free from rust and therefore has a service life comparable to that of the container.

We claim:

1. A container handle comprising an endless band of thermoplastic material having a bail integral therewith, said band and bail comprising a unitary structure adapted to encircle the neck of a container, and to be removably attached thereto, the bail having a pair of arms and a connecting portion, the latter of which embodies a finger grip, the arms of the bail extending normally laterally of the band in a plane substantially parallel to the band, and having the ends thereof remote from the finger grip portion turned at substantially a right angle to the arms, and connected to the outer face of the band, the points of connection between the arms and the band defining a line disposed to one side of a diametric line through the band and the finger grip portion normally lying on the other side of said diametric line and outside the band.

2. A container handle comprising an endless band of thermoplastic material having a bail integral therewith, said band and bail comprising a unitary structure adapted to encircle the neck of a container and to be removably attached thereto, the bail having a pair of arms and a connecting portion, the latter of which embodies a fingergrip, the arms of the bail extending normally laterally of the band in a plane substantially parallel to the band, and having the ends thereof remote from the finger-grip portion turned at substantially a right angle to the arms, and connected to the outer face of the band, the arms being attached to the band at one side of a line passing through the center of the band and the finger-grip portion being disposed on the other side of said line.

3. A holder for bottles or the like, comprising a ring portion and a handle integrally molded of a thermoplastic material, said handle having spaced side members joined by a connecting top cross portion, said handle being preshaped when molded to normally assume a position so that the major portion of said side members extend in a plane generally parallel with the top of the ring portion and the cross portion of the handle is positioned to substantially one side of said ring portion and away from the top of said ring portion so as not to extend across the top of the ring portion, said handle adapted to be positioned so that said cross portion extends above and across the top of said ring portion when held in carrying positionand to assume its preshaped position when released.

4. A holder for bottles and the like, comprising a ring portion and a handle integrally molded of a thermoplastic material, said handle having spaced side members joined by a connecting top cross portion, said handle being preshaped when molded to normally assume a position so that said cross portion is positioned to substantially one side of said ring portion and away from the top of said ring portion so as not to extend across the top of the ring portion, said handle adapted to be positioned so that said cross portion extends above and across the top of said ring portion 'when held in carrying position and to assume its preshaped position when released. I

5. A holder for bottles or the like, comprising a ring portion and a handle integrally molded of a thermoplastic material, said handle having spaced side members joined by a connecting top cross portion, said handle being preshaped when molded to normally assume a position so that the side members extend upwardly and then substantially horizontally with the cross portion of the handle positioned to substantially one side of said ring portion and away from the top of said ring portion so as not to extend across the top of the ring portion, said handle adapted to be positioned so that said cross portion extends above and across the top of said ring portion when held in carrying position and to assume its preshaped position when released.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 904,237 Thessen Nov. 17, 1908 1,596,076 Clancy --v Aug. 17, 1926 1,890,482 Weissberg Dec. 13, 1932 2,027,962 (hlrrie Jan. 14, 1936 2,051,940 Miles Aug. 25, 1936 2,738,114 Kahlan et a1. Mar. 13, 1956 2,740,657 'Poupitch Apr. 3, 1956 2,789,717 Demke Apr. 23, 1957 2,822,208 Then Feb. 4, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 736,912 Great Britain Sept. 14, 1955 

